Federal directive changes health department vaccination policies

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A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mandate stipulates that starting Monday, Oct. 1, health departments can no longer provide federally-provided vaccines for people with private health insurance.

The Public Health Division in the El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency will begin a new screening process on Monday for people seeking immunizations.

"While we don't see a large number of private-pay clients, we know this may be an adjustment for some people, and we want to make the transition as smooth as possible," Supervising Public Health Nurse Lynnan Svensson said in a press release.

The Public Health Division will continue to provide free and low-cost immunizations, including all recommended childhood immunizations and some adult vaccines, to the uninsured and the underinsured. The community flu vaccine, exempted from the mandate, will still be available to the general public at low cost.